Whatever It Takes
by Ruler of Dice
Summary: Jeremy was a normal man in a normal relationship with someone that he loved. Until his partner started coming home with migraines after getting a new job at a kid's restaurant. Follow him as he tries telling his story to the one he cares about the most, and see how one simple phrase, so innocent, could turn his whole world upside down and lead him onto a path spiraling downward.


**Hello, there! I am Ruler of Dice, here to present to you this Five Night's at Freddy's Fanfiction. When I started out on this piece, I had planned for it to be rather short. That plan didn't hold out. So now it's this large monster, so I might separate it into chapters later on.**

 **If you have something to say, please, leave a review. I have other stories on my profile if you are interested, as well as an original story on Fictionpress under the same pseudonym. And I have a Tumblr account that I sometimes check in with story progress on. Please forgive my shameless self-promotion, and I hope you enjoy!**

 **Warning: This story contains Violence** **, Dark Themes, Death, Mentions of Suicide, Language, and** **Homosexual** **Relationships. If you are under the age of thirteen or uncomfortable with any of these things, then I do not suggest reading this.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Five Night's at Freddy's. It belongs to Scott Cawthon.**

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We had been together for a long time. Forever, it seems. Our first kiss was under the moonlight- more clumsy and awkward than romantic, but I loved it just the same. Our first act of true intimacy didn't make me feel fireworks, but it brought warmth into my heart. When we finally moved in together we made a promise, "Whatever it takes."

We would do whatever it takes to make each other happy.

You found a job at a kid's restaurant to pay the bills while I tried finishing out college to earn my degree in engineering. Times were rough, sure, but we were still making the best out of what we had. Watching bad TV shows and taking trips to the park would seem stupid if it weren't for you. Everything was perfectly imperfect. And that was just how I liked it.

But then something strange happened. You came home all shaken up, like you had just seen someone die. Without even sparing me a glance you went straight to the bedroom to change out of your uniform. I followed closely behind.

"What's wrong?"

Jumping slightly, you turned toward me, your eyes wide with fear. Then you visibly relaxed and gave me a shaky smile. "N-Nothing, nothing… Just had rough day. You know how kids can be sometimes."

That was a load of bull. So I frowned, making you all too aware of how upset I was. "I don't believe you. You're not a good liar."

"Look, it's…" You paused. Tears welled up in your eyes, but you held them back. "It's nothing. J-Just trust me, okay? It'll all work out."

"Don't try to shut yourself away from me!" I snapped. The way you flinched made my heart drop. My voice was softer as I pleaded, "I can try to help you, just tell me what it is."

"I can't," you mumbled, your head hanging so that your hair covered your eyes. A single tear hit the floor.

I hated seeing you so upset, so I let it go with an apology. Afterwards I did my best to distract you. My admittedly lame jokes and awful commentary on whatever we were watching that night did seem to make you happy. The next day you went to work with your chipper attitude back in place.

And that's when the migraines started. Whatever had happened the day before, plus a month being into your new job, took its toll on you. The shooting pain in the back of your eyes would make you want to die, but you would always try to laugh it off. I was always there with some ibuprofen, our favorite purple blanket, and an endless supply of love. During those moments you would complain about your job: the screaming kids, the neglectful parents, the lousy employees. The only things you liked were the few good children and the animatronics. Foxy the Pirate was the one you talked about the most.

Not long after the migraines started, you came home with a couple newspapers. No matter what, you wouldn't let me see them. You cut out a single snippet from each one and sealed them in an envelope, which was then put in the side-table drawer on your side of our bed. As much as I wanted to see what they were, I didn't breach that boundary. I was sure you'd tell me on your own time.

With each passing week your migraines seemed to get worse. Sometimes you'd even vomit from the sheer pain. I was always there, rubbing your back and whispering into your ear, "It'll be alright. Whatever it takes, Scott. Whatever it takes."

You never told me what it took. So I tried guessing. Would you feel better if I had dinner prepared every night? What if I took over all the chores? Do you think you should find a different job?

I followed through with my offers, but you never even considered quitting. "The job market is, uh, looking kinda... Kinda rough, you know. Can't lose what I have. But I'll be fine," you said with a genuine smile. But I could see the uncertainty in your eyes and hear the way your voice wavered.

Our life followed a cycle for just over three years. A week of high pain, crying, no lights, me trying to help. A cool down. Then a week of low pain, half-hearted laughter, and an attempt to go back to how things were. After that, a buildup that I wished would just go away and leave us alone.

The stupid cycle made me feel hopeless. My grades started dropping, until you decided to take it upon yourself to stop talking to me until I finished an assignment or studied. You always knew what to do for me. Why the hell didn't I know how to help you? What could I possibly do?

Nothing, that's what. I was completely useless. A waste of space.

And a guy can only take so much of that feeling.

One day, just out of the blue, you came home with another newspaper clipping. The migraine you had that night was the worst one yet. We stayed in the bedroom, in suffocating, silent darkness.

Soft groans escaped you as you tossed and turned to find relief. I simply sat there, hesitant to say what I wanted.

"Hey, Scott?" I finally whispered.

You turned towards me and made a stifled noise. I guess that was your best attempt at showing I had your attention.

"What's on all of those papers you keep? The ones in the envelope, I mean."

You became tense. "I, uh... It's nothing. Just a hobby I picked up."

I felt about ready to explode. How many lies were you going to try spoonfeeding me? All I wanted was to scream and tell you just how frustrating it was to always be kept in the dark. But I knew that no matter what I did, you wouldn't crack. "Insane stubbornness" is what I often said was your worst trait.

So I found a different way of getting what I wanted.

Without you knowing, I followed you to work one day and stood outside, watching through the window. The animatronics were pretty neat. But everything else was a whole ton worse than what you said. I practically beat myself looking for an answer on how to help you. Then it dawned on me.

If the place closed down, then you wouldn't have to work there, now would you? In the short run we'd be in a bit of a bind, but at least your health would pick up. Whatever it takes, am I right?

So I waited and waited, making note of your schedule, of the restaurant's layout, everything. When the perfect day arrived, one where you called in sick and slept to regain your strength, I put my plan into action.

Dressed in my seldom worn hoodie, I returned to that hellhole. As I pulled up, I saw a kid outside, sobbing his eyes out for whatever reason. Just seeing the little brat there made me angry. You had to deal with bunches of snot-nosed kids whining that they didn't get enough cake or that they didn't hear the song they wanted. You had to suffer every night because of the stress those monsters put you through. This stupid kid shouldn't have been crying so damn much! He had no right!

I got out, slamming the door shut and making the brat jump. Slowly, ever so slowly, I walked over to him and glared. He trembled and sniffled and was just all around annoying. So I grabbed him before he could run and wrapped my hands around his throat. I felt a thrill that made me grin and tighten my hold. His tears fell harder. When he stopped struggling, I let go.

His body fell to the ground with a soft thud. I stopped smiling and stared, unable to comprehend what I had done. Even nudging him with my foot didn't make him get back up. Bile rose up in my throat as I looked in through the window of that restaurant. No one had seen.

No one except for Freddy Fazbear, that is.

I quickly jumped back into my car and took off, repeating a mantra that completely justified my actions. Whatever it takes. I had to do it. It was worth it to make you happy, to get rid of those migraines.

But that wasn't at all what I had planned.

You were awake when I returned home. Sitting up and rubbing your head you asked, "Hey, uh… Where did you go?"

I'm sorry, but I had to lie. "I tried going to the pharmacy to grab more meds for you, but they were closed," I mumbled, putting on my pout that was sure to win you over.

A laugh escaped you, the first one I heard in a long time. Taking me into your arms, you kissed me and made me forget my horrid crime.

The next day, word got out that Freddy Fazbear's Pizza was closing down by the end of the year. You came home with yet another article. While you looked through job listings solemnly, I silently cheered. No more migraines. No more pain. Everything would go back to normal.

Funny, though. It almost seemed like you expected it to happen.

A ring broke through the moment. It came from the phone. Quickly, as if your life depended on it, you answered. "Hello, hello?"

Seconds passed. Then a minute. A goofy grin took over your face, your eyes tearing up with joy. "O-Of course! I'll be happy to take the job!"

Dumbfounded, I simply watched you do a little victory dance after hanging up. You grabbed my hands and pulled me along, spinning and holding me close. It was a miracle that my glasses didn't fly off. I smiled and asked you about the job offer you had gotten.

"Freddy's isn't closing down for good! They're moving the restaurant and they want me to be head of security!"

My expression quickly fell. "But what about your migraines?"

Your own smile faded, but then it returned with full force. "Don't, uh, don't worry about that. It'll be fine, I promise."

We both did odd jobs until the new restaurant finally opened after a year and several months. In that timespan, an investigation was done to find the kid I murdered. I don't know how he disappeared, but it worked in my favor. And you didn't have a single migraine.

I prayed on the opening night that it would be alright, that I didn't sacrifice a child for nothing. If your migraines didn't come back, then I would've been the happiest person on earth.

God wasn't on our side.

You stumbled into the apartment after your first day, groaning and trembling. It took hours until you felt well enough to go to sleep. That night I stayed awake, petting your hair and cursing the idiots who thought reopening their restaurant would be a good idea after a murder took place right in front of their doors.

But I had an idea. The next morning, right before you headed out, I asked if there were any shifts open. You stared at me, then shrugged. "I, uh… I'm not sure. The owner's thinking about getting some, uh, night watch or something. To make the place more safe for the kids."

Satisfied, I let you go on your way and made my plans. I would apply for the nighttime watch.

I found the advertisement in the newspaper and called the number. My application was filled out and turned in by the end of the week. Fortunately for me, the guy they already had was too scared to do night shifts anymore. You pulled some strings and had me hired while moving the other guy to day shift. We discussed how difficult it would be balancing this job with my school work, but I promised that I would work it all out.

The evening before my shift was a little tense, as you know. We mostly just watched TV, cuddled up together on the couch. You seemed anxious, with all your fidgeting.

At eleven-thirty I got changed into my new uniform. As I looked over myself in the mirror, you came up and hugged me from behind.

I froze and stared at our reflection. Usually you were the one in uniform. Everything else was the same, though. Your shaggy blonde hair, warm hazel eyes, and gangly figure. Me being pretty much your exact opposite. Shorter, darker, freckled.

It was surreal, seeing us in switched positions.

"Hey, uh... You're looking pretty good," you said. "Purple suits you. Guess that's why it's your favorite color."

I simply hummed in agreement while making final touch ups.

You watched, then gave me a small smile. "By the way, I, uh, left you something at your office."

"Really?" I perked up, eager to find out what it was.

"Yeah." You sheepishly looked away, your smile falling. "Sorry, but, uh… I kinda had to leave it with the higher ups watching me. So there's some, uh, limitations. You'll see what I mean."

"Okay," I said while turning around and giving you a kiss. "Now go to bed, Scott. I don't want you exhausting yourself."

I was really nervous as I left, I'll admit. Mostly because I was afraid Freddy was there at the restaurant and that he would recognize me or something. But that was impossible, at least the recognizing bit was.

After everyone left, I clocked in and took a seat in my office, all the way at the back of the restaurant. The ring of a phone made me jump, distracting me from the array of supplies at my desk. The phone automatically answered, your voice coming out from it.

"Uh, hello? Hello, hello?"

So that's what you decided to leave me. How sweet of you. I listened closely, clinging to every word.

"Uh, hello and welcome to your new summer job at the new and improved Freddy Fazbear's Pizza."

I chuckled at that. It was November. Was your boss making you read off an out-dated note card or something? And I highly doubted it was improved all that much. The place looked a tad bit cleaner, I'd give them that.

"Uh, I'm here to talk you through some of the things you can expect to see during your first week here and to help you get started down this new and exciting career path."

"Yeah," I mumbled as I checked the cameras for a moment. "Real exciting." I could really tell that you were reading off a card then. But you still tried to seem earnest, something that I loved about you.

"Uh, now, I want you to forget anything you may have heard about the old location, you know. Uh, some people have a somewhat negative impression of the company."

"I wonder why?" I asked scornfully. Maybe it was because they let a kid die right on their doorstep. Or maybe it was because they overwork and underpay their employees.

"Uh… That old restaurant was kind of left to rot for quite a while, but I want to reassure you, Fazbear Entertainment is committed to family fun and above all, safety."

I was starting to get really angry. How could they make you spout such bull? Not only that, but it sounded like you actually believed it. Nothing says "family fun" and "safety" like a dead brat, am I right?

"They've spent a small fortune on these new animatronics, uh, facial recognition, advanced mobility, they even let them walk around during the day." You chuckled before asking, "Isn't that neat?"

My blood ran cold. Facial recognition was definitely not good. Especially if they were hooked up to the old animatronics AI. What if they knew who I was? What would they do?

You cleared your throat after realizing you weren't being professional. "But most importantly, they're all tied into some kind of criminal database, so they can detect a predator a mile away. Heck, we should be paying them to guard you."

They wouldn't have been protecting me. But you didn't know that, of course. And I was glad that I wasn't a convicted criminal, or else I would've been screwed twice over.

"Uh, now that being said, no new system's without its... Kinks."

I checked the cameras again, breathing in sharply when I saw one of the bots wandering around. That wasn't good, not one bit.

"Uh, you're only the second guard to work that location. Uh, the first guy finished his week, but complained about... Conditions. Uh, we switched him over to day shift, so hey, lucky you, right?"

"So lucky," I grumbled under my breath. I'm sure they could hear me, hear my heart beating quickly. I hated that you couldn't be there and hold me, or at least tell me that you love me.

"Uh, mainly he expressed concern that certain characters seemed to move around at night, and even attempted to get into his office. Now, from what we know, that should be impossible. Uh, that restaurant should be the safest place on Earth."

I wish I could've told you that it wasn't. That I was going to be killed because I'm a filthy murderer and those robots knew. But they didn't understand that I had to do it. Whatever it takes.

"So while our engineers don't really have an explanation for this, the working theory is that... The robots were never given a proper 'night mode'. So when it gets quiet, they think they're in the wrong room, so then they go try to find where the people are, and in this case, that's your office."

"And when they get there, they'll kill you dead and leave you to rot," I mimicked in your cheerful tone. I had to make a joke or else I would've burst into tears.

"So our temporary solution is this: there's a music box over by the Prize Counter, and it's rigged to be wound up remotely. So just, every once in a while, switch over to the Prize Counter video feed and wind it up for a few seconds. It doesn't seem to affect all of the animatronics, but it does affect... One of them."

That sounded just great. Really fantastic. I could keep one at bay while the others came after me. Despite how dumb it seemed, I made sure to keep the music box wound. You wouldn't have given me that advice if it was worthless.

"Uh, and as for the rest of them, we have an even easier solution."

I had to wonder, what could be easier than keeping a music box wound? Then I noticed the mask on the floor- the face of my greatest enemy. "Oh, no..."

"You see, there may be a minor glitch in the system, something about robots seeing you as an endoskeleton without his costume on, and wanting to stuff you in a suit, so hey, we've given you an empty Freddy Fazbear head, problem solved! You can put it on anytime, and leave it on for as long as you want. Eventually anything that wandered in, will wander back out."

The mask was really clunky. After putting it on, I could tell that I wouldn't be able to do much because of the limited field of vision. And each breath made it feel like a sauna in there.

"Uh, something else worth mentioning is kind of the modern design of the building."

Modern design. More like the owners being too cheap to give the restaurant everything it needed.

"You may have noticed there are no doors for you to close." You let out a soft, anxious laugh.

Did you think it was as bad as I saw it? Or were you just worried about me?

"Uh, but hey, you have a light!"

"Oh, yes. Praise the mighty Fazgods for blessing me with this advanced piece of technology." I didn't dare flash the light down the hallway. That would be like pointing a neon sign saying "KILL" directly to me.

"And even though your flashlight can run out of power, the building cannot. So don't worry about the place going dark."

Shouldn't all buildings have been able stay powered up? In hindsight, it wouldn't have surprised me if the old location had electrical issues.

"Well, I think that's it. Uh, you should be golden. Uh, check the lights, put on the Freddy head if you need to, uh, keep the music box wound up, piece of cake. Have a good night, and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

That certainty in your tone assured me that everything would be all right. I could almost hear you say "I love you" after that, so I whispered that I loved you too.

That night I only had one time where I thought I needed the mask, and that even turned out to be a false alarm. At six o'clock I made a mad dash out of that place, immediately going home so I could relax and not have to fear robots coming after me. But as I left, I could swear I felt something watching me...

Wow, I sounded like a paranoid maniac.

It didn't matter, though. As I stepped through the door, I could see you splayed out on the couch, snoring lightly. I tip-toed over to you and woke you up with a small kiss to the cheek.

You groaned and turned toward me, not even opening your eyes, but smiling. "Jeremy... Uh, I'm so glad you're back. Was it bad?"

"Nope. And it's all thanks to you and your message."

"R-Really? I'll make sure to call every night, then."

"Good." Yawning, I squeezed in next to you on the couch and laid my head on your chest. "Now let's go to sleep. I'm beat."

We dozed for an hour or so before you had to go to work. After you left I went back to sleep. I didn't have any classes that day, so I made the most of my time after I woke back up.

I went into our bedroom and took that secret envelope from the drawer. Carefully, I opened it and pulled out the sheets of paper that awaited.

"Kids vanish at local pizzeria- bodies not found."

"Five children now reported missing. Suspect convicted."

"Local pizzeria threatened with shutdown over sanitation."

"Local pizzeria said to close by year's end."

Apparently someone had used one of the animatronic's suits to lure and kill five kids at the old Freddy's. The guy was caught, but they never found the bodies. Probably because Fazbear Entertainment did their best to keep everything on the down low. It was obvious that the bodies were in the suits.

I didn't think my hate for them could have grown any more. At least it made sense now, your secretive behavior.

Fazbear Entertainment needed a wake-up call, and it was my duty to give it to them. Another incident, history repeating itself, would change their minds about their business practices.

I felt guilty after I returned the clippings to their proper place. It needed to be done, though.

Your migraine that night wasn't terrible. But it seemed to get worse right when I was about to leave. My resolve turned to steel. This night's mission: set up my plan for closing Freddy's down for good.

I settled in, making sure to have all my supplies within reach. The second night was sure to be worse than the first.

The phone rang, as expected.

"Uh... Hello, hello! Uh, see, I told you your first night wouldn't be a problem. You're a natural!"

With a smile I checked the cameras. One of the bots had moved, but it wouldn't get me. I'd make sure of that.

"Uh, by now I'm sure you noticed the older models sitting in the back room. Uh, those are from the previous location. We just use them for parts now. "

I hadn't noticed. So knowing that they were there put a huge damper on my night. They were most likely deactivated, I figured, so I didn't linger on it for long. Just gotta keep working.

"The idea at first was to repair them... Uh, they even started retrofitting them with some of the newer technology, but they were just so ugly, you know? And the smell..."

Oh, I knew. Freddy was the ugliest. With his beady, all-knowing eyes... I hated him.

But wait, the smell? What smell? Then it clicked. The bodies. After all these years those suits still weren't clean.

"Uh, so the company decided to go in a whole new direction and make them super kid-friendly."

Super campy was more like it. And what was with Chica now? The older one at least looked like a chicken- the new one looked like a woman with a beak. I knew some people were into that, but still…

"Uh, those older ones shouldn't be able to walk around, but if they do, the whole Freddy head trick should work on them too, so, whatever."

I could tell that was the moment your migraine kicked in. You sounded irritated, not your usual cheerful self. I didn't even care about the older animatronics anymore. They were just roadblocks I needed to overcome in order to help you. And I swore that they would be nothing but scrap metal by the year's end.

"Uh…" You laughed softly, regaining a bit of your previous mood. I could predict what you were going to talk about. "I love those old characters. Uh, did you ever see Foxy the Pirate?"

Even with all the times you talked about him, and all the times you said you would bring me to see him, I never did. Those stupid migraines kept getting in the way of everything. Chances were, though, that I would be meeting with him then and there.

"Oh, wait, Foxy… Oh yeah, Foxy. Uh, hey, listen, that one was always a bit twitchy, uh… I'm not sure if the Freddy head trick will work on Foxy."

Ironic that Foxy would be the one most likely to kill me. Would you still have loved him so much if he did?

"Uh, if for some reason he activates during the night and you see him standing at the far end of the hall, just flash your light at him from time to time. Those older models would always get disoriented with bright lights. It would cause a system restart, or something."

Maybe I really should've been thanking the Fazgods after all. I grabbed onto the flashlight and kept my grip firm. That stupid thing was my lifeline.

"Uh, come to think of it, you might want to try that on any room where something undesirable might be. It might hold them in place for a few seconds. That glitch might've carried over to the newer models too."

I turned the cameras on, catching the new Bonnie in Party Room Two. After flashing the light at him a couple times, he seemed to freeze. It looked like he was headed for the vent. Which lead straight into my office. And here I thought the owners couldn't have been any dumber.

"Uh, one more thing… Don't forget the music box. I'll be honest, I never liked that puppet thing. It's always… Thinking, and it can go anywhere… I don't think a Freddy mask will fool it, so just don't forget the music box."

Puppet thing? That was… Odd. I don't remember any puppet being on any of the promotional material. An alert went off on my camera feed. I checked it to find the music box's song was about to end. I rewound it for a good five seconds, then quickly turned my attention to the office afterwards. I flashed a light into the vent and saw new Bonnie peeking in. Without hesitation I put on the Freddy mask and prayed.

"Uh… Anyway, I'm sure it won't be a problem."

Bonnie's face slid into my view. It stared at me, waiting for me to slip up. But I held my breath and kept still, until it eventually left the office.

"Uh, have a good night, and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I pried the mask off my face, breathing hard. My heart was racing from that near-death experience. And I still had almost six more hours of that shit.

Somehow I managed to keep my wits about me, mostly. I could still feel their gazes all throughout the night. It was enough to make a man go mad. But at least I had fine-tuned my plan between the tense moments of wearing a mask, shining a light, and winding a music box.

All I needed was one of the special suits. Before being accepted for the job, I had to listen to a training tape. It was outdated, even explaining how to wear the old hybrid suits. You mentioned those once or twice before, saying that they were scrapped. Anyway, the only reason I paid attention to the tape was because you were the one speaking. I guess that was a good thing, huh?

Well, good for us, at least. It would be Freddy's undoing.

Just as six o'clock was about to strike, I noticed the blinking red sign on my screen. But I got to it too late. Pop Goes the Weasel played, and I saw something slither out of the box. Not even caring that it was too soon, I grabbed my things and ran for the door.

I could hear a robotic voice behind me. "S… A… V… E…"

Save? So that puppet thing knew. I stopped.

"T… H… E… M…"

The Puppet glided past me, no, through me. That memory from so long ago flashed into my mind, only it was different.

"S…" 8-bit, like a videogame.

"A…" I saw things from a bird's eye view.

"V…" The restaurant, Freddy, the crying child outside.

"E…" Then a purple car. Then a grinning purple man.

"H…" The purple man stood next to the child.

"I…" The child's eyes grew large and black.

"M…" It became completely gray, all while Freddy was running around giving cake to kids. The purple man went back into his car and drove away.

I was the purple man and the puppet was my victim.

When my vision returned to normal, I could see the older Freddy making his way toward me. I still had my flashlight, so I took the last few seconds I had to run towards him and hit him hard. A grin was on my face as he stumbled back. "You can't!" I exclaimed right as the clock struck six. Without another thought I ran out of there.

When I got home, I pretended everything was fine. But you always seemed to know when something was wrong. You didn't say anything, though. A kiss to my forehead and an extra long hug, that's how you comforted me. We ate breakfast together before you left for work.

I waited two hours before putting my plan in motion.

With my hoodie on I returned to the restaurant. I had spent enough time watching the cameras to know all the blind spots. The day guard wouldn't see a thing.

For a minute I stood outside, watching through the window. I could see you making your rounds and smiling like you didn't have a care in the world. A little girl ran up to you and tugged on the leg of your pants. Blinking, you looked down at her with wide eyes. I couldn't see what you were saying, but it seemed serious. The girl was on the verge of tears, so you crouched down and gave her your award-winning smile, most likely assuring her that everything would be all right. She just stood there, then wiped her eyes and copied you. After that, you two parted ways. When I couldn't see you anymore, I slipped inside.

All the kids were having a great time. It sickened me. All the laughing, the cheering, loud noises, messes, migraines, migraines, migraines. Of course, the parents too busy talking amongst themselves to control their little monsters. I carefully made my way through, trying my best to blend in. With each step my shoes stuck slightly to the floor.

Dark eyes from the corner traced my every movement. I could feel it. Watching. Mourning. Helpless. There were too many people here for it to stop me. Another set of eyes watched me too, but I couldn't tell where they were. None of the main three were paying attention to me, they were too busy "entertaining" the crowd.

When I hit the main hallway, I stopped. The camera was on. For two whole minutes I waited before the light finally shut off. Not taking any chances, I dashed for the parts and service room. As soon as I got in, I stepped underneath another camera. The door to the safe room was right there.

Not a lot of people knew about the safe room. It was where management hid all their dark secrets. Only the guards knew about it, so we could make sure no one messed around in there.

With the amount of gold I saw in there, it might as well have been a treasure trove. Two suits stared at me. Golden Freddy and Spring Bonnie. Rumor had it that the Bonnie suit was more dangerous, so I opted for Golden Freddy. Your voice guided me through the steps, telling me to be extra careful.

It was strange, being in that suit. Although it was held back, I felt the endoskeleton close in on me somewhat. Having Freddy's head over mine reminded me of the last two nights I had. Only this time, I was in complete control.

I waited in the blind spot of the part room until I knew I had my golden opportunity. I heard footsteps pass by, an unfamiliar voice grumbling, "I can't deal with this anymore. I need a smoke."

The day guard had left.

So I stepped out. Thankfully the cameras couldn't record- Fazbear's was too cheap for that.

Before I even knew it there were five- no, six, kids running up to me. They were all jumping, bouncing around, telling me to sing for them. One in particular caught my eye: the little girl you had talked with earlier. Seeing her made me feel queasy. Good thing only five kids were needed.

I gestured to her and said in the goofiest, most Freddy sounding voice I could muster, "How about you go find more kids for my concert, while I get the others settled in. Think you can do that for me?"

She nodded, a bright grin on her face. "Of course, Freddy!" A hug from her surprised me, especially with the way the springs creaked from the action. "I'll make sure everyone's there!" Then she was gone.

The other children were excited as I led them into the parts room. But they went silent when they caught sight of the broken animatronics. The click of the door locking made them jump. Ever so carefully I took off the suit. They all stared at me, silent for once in their lives.

Time moved too quickly. The next thing I remember is standing there, five limp bodies at my feet. The horror of what I had done hit me. Every dark thought, every ounce of hatred, flew right out. I almost ran out of the room to confess what I had done. But one thought stopped me.

You. It was all for you. And you would've hated me, making it all for nothing. Besides, the sacrifice was necessary. Freddy's needed to be shut down- every employee knew that. No one else would've been able to do this, though. You were too kind-hearted; the others, too scared.

I had to do it. I had to. Whatever it takes.

The bodies fit nicely into the suits. For the most part. I was surprised that none of them jumped up to get me. Maybe they only activated at night.

Foxy was treated with extra care, just so you know. If he had been broken, you would've been upset. But Freddy, that was a whole different story. By the time I was done with him, blood had completely soaked the ends of my sleeves.

I was completely numb by then. You could say I had become a robot. That was probably my way of coping without going completely nuts.

Anyway, I put the last body in the Golden Freddy suit before returning it to the safe room. Quick footsteps passed parts room; the day guard was returning to his post.

With my hands stuffed into my pockets- to hide away the clinging evidence of my crimes- I sauntered out of the room, through the hall, and back into the main show area. The puppet was still in the corner, handing out prizes to children. For a split-second our gazes met. I still felt nothing.

My sleeves were sticking to my hands when I got home. I pulled my hoodie off and used the bathtub to scrub down every last inch of it. The way the water ran red sickened me. But I couldn't stop until it was clear.

I pretended that everything was normal for the rest of the day, even having dinner made by the time you got home- it was later than usual if I remember correctly. Your migraine wasn't awful that evening. I saw that as a good sign.

We took a nap on the couch together. It didn't last for long, though, because of the nightmare I had.

It was just like the flashback I had the night before. Only this time, the center of attention was the puppet itself. It went around giving four children presents while a familiar voice called out, "H… E… L… P… T… H… E… M…"

The present then disappeared, and the puppet went around again. Only this time, each child was gifted with a head from the old Fazbear crew. Freddy first, then Bonnie. Next was Chica, while Foxy was last. The a fifth child appeared in the center, but before I had time to look at it properly, the head of the Golden Freddy costume came out of nowhere with a terrifying shriek.

I woke up, quickly sitting upright and looking around. My heart was pounding in my chest, threatening to collapse from the work. "Scott?" I weakly called out.

You came to me, worried, asking what was wrong. All I did was hold onto you. It was the only thing that could comfort me, knowing that you were alive and well. Petting my hair, you offered to let me stay home while you filled in for me. I refused, of course. There was no way I was going to make you face those animatronics.

At midnight, as soon as I plopped down into my seat, I fully realized what kind of Hell I would have to face.

The phone rang.

"Uh, hello, hello! See? I told you you wouldn't have any problems!"

You would've like that to be true, wouldn't you? But it wasn't. I was a killer, those robots knew, and my very first victim had somehow come back with a vengeance.

I checked the cameras. Toy Bonnie and Toy Chica were already wandering about. The old animatronics hadn't moved yet. While I had the chance I switched over and wound the music box.

"Did, uh… Did Foxy ever appear in the hallway? Probably not. I was just curious. Like I said, he was always my favorite."

With the number of times you've told me, I could've repeated word for word just how much you liked him and why. When you started working at Freddy's, the only time the kids were quiet was when Foxy would come out and tell one of his pirate tales. It gave you a moment's reprieve, and the stories were actually pretty interesting. Adventure was always something you were interested in. One thing you always wanted to do was travel the world. I guess you were kinda able to live out that dream through Foxy's stories. It also helped that he was cool looking, in your eyes.

"They tried to remake Foxy, you know? Uh, they thought the first one was too scary, so they redesigned him to be more kid-friendly and put him in Kid's Cove. To keep the toddlers entertained, you know…"

That whole time I had thought they simply scrapped Foxy. But it got me wondering, why hadn't the new Foxy come out yet? I checked each camera, seeing nothing of the newest addition. But when I went to wind the music box, my heart shot into panic mode. Clinging to the ceiling was a weird mess of parts, with two faces. One of them was uncovered while the other vaguely resembled a white, clownish fox.

"But kids days these just can't keep their hands to themselves. The staff literally had to put Foxy back together after every shift. Eventually they just stopped trying and left him as some 'take apart and put back together' attraction. Now he's just a mess of parts. I think the employees refer to him as just 'The Mangle'. Uh..."

That was just sad. Why did management even think it would be a good idea to let kids play with an robot? All those sharp edges and wires couldn't have been safe for them. And it especially wasn't safe for me.

"Oh, hey, before I go, uh, I wanted to ease your mind about any rumors you might have heard lately. Uh, you know how these local stories come and go and seldom mean anything."

You sounded convinced. Of course you would. Your blind trust in the company was an endearing fault, I guess. But you had to see sooner or later. I'd make you see. One day. Even if it costed my sanity.

"I can personally assure you that whatever is going on out there, and however tragic it may be, has nothing to do with our establishment. It's just all rumor and speculation… People trying to make a buck, you know..."

In other words, management was trying to cover up again. And they were using the old tragedy as a defense. Of course people would want to take advantage of a restaurant that's had issues in the past. The less credibility a place has, the easier it is to take advantage of. But right now I was probably the only person who knew the truth. Scary thought, to be honest, but satisfying too.

"Uh, our guard during the day has reported nothing unusual- and he's on watch from opening till close."

And he wouldn't unless his hand was played. It was to save his own ass. He would be fired in a heartbeat if they found out he left post to smoke, especially since the company had a very strict policy about breaks and whatnot.

"Okay, well anyway, hang in there and I will talk to you tomorrow."

"Love you too," I whispered. The silence was beginning to torment me. I flashed my light in both vents, then down the hall. I saw Toy Chica there, so I gave it a few more flashes.

The night dragged on and on and on. It was the animatronics' fault. They made time slow down, I don't know how, but they did. By the way, you didn't mention that there was another one after my hide. It was the dopey looking one that handed out balloons to the kids. I got quite a shock when I heard a human sounding "hello" and found that thing watching me from the left vent. Thank goodness for that mask.

Or not, because it didn't seem to help. After I took it off, the child-like robot was in the office, still staring at me with that cheerful smile. Then it started laughing. I tried shining my light at it, hoping the damn thing would go away, but all I got for my efforts was a pathetic click. Somehow it had deactivated one of my most precious tools.

That was probably the first time I felt true fear. Up until that moment, I always felt as if I had a chance. But without my flashlight, Foxy was sure to get me. I looked at the clock. It was almost six. I just had to hold out for a couple more minutes. First, I made sure the music box was wound, then I put the mask back on and waited. The weight of my eyelids had been taking a toll, but now it was aggravated by the darkness of the mask. Time ticked by even more slowly.

Like the trumpets of Heaven, I heard it: the bell tolling six o'clock. Balloon Boy went back to his station while I made my way out, not even acknowledging the presence of the spare parts room.

Once I was home safe and sound, I dropped onto the couch and passed out. I remember briefly waking up right before you left, you had planted a kiss on my forehead. I mumbled a groggy "I love you", before slipping back into the confines of my mind.

I went to my classes later that day. We were working on a project, one that was a good portion of our grade. But all I could think about was Freddy's. What if they somehow found out it was me? I thought everything through, but I only found one loose end that could possibly tie me to the crime: the little girl I let get away.

On my way home I figured that there was a very slim chance she'd be able to identify me. Kids aren't known for their good memory, and I had disguised my voice. Not to mention that the only thing you could see through the gaps in the costume would've been bits of my purple hoodie- coincidentally the same color as the guard uniforms. So I was safe.

With my mind clear, I got home and set myself up to do some planning for that project.

Your migraine was awful that night. As soon as you stepped through the door I could tell that you didn't have the energy for anything besides getting into the bedroom. You slept most of the evening, so I simply left a note and some ibuprofen by your bedside before leaving for work.

In all honesty, I didn't want to go back. The very thought made my heart skip, made a weight settle onto my chest that I couldn't brush off. My job wasn't done though. I had to stick around to see the fruits of my labor. I had to push through the fear and the anxiety so I could see and rejoice in the end of Fazbear Entertainment. They wouldn't win. I couldn't let them win.

As I passed by the toy animatronics, I gave them all a hateful glare. I wished that they were living so I could snuff the life out of them. Or that in their place was the management, so I could make them feel your pain.

Shaking off those thoughts, I sat down at my desk and prepared myself for the night to come.

The phone rang.

"Hello, hello? Uh, hey there, nice work! I told you you'd get the hang of it. Okay, so, uh, just to update you, there's been somewhat of an investigation going on. Uh, we may end up having to close for a few days… I don't know."

No words could describe how happy I was. It was like being trapped in the dark for years- no decades- and finally seeing light. I wanted to dance around and shout, but I still had to keep those robots from getting revenge.

The old ones were out already. They probably sensed my joy and wanted to crush it. I checked the cameras and wound the music box, like usual.

"Uh, I want to emphasize, though, that it's really just a precaution. Uh, Fazbear Entertainment denies any wrongdoing. These things happen sometimes."

So sometimes kids just "happen" to go missing? My hands twitched. I wanted to show them just how many times those things would simply "happen" if they didn't close down. Instead I pulled the mask down over my head and out waited Chica.

"Um... It'll all get sorted out in a few days. Just keep an eye on things and I'll keep you posted. Uh, just as a side note though, try to avoid eye contact with any of the animatronics tonight, if you can. Someone may have tampered with their facial recognition systems... We're not sure."

No one tampered with anything. Not on purpose, at least. Stuffing those bodies might have messed up the old bots, but the new ones would've been fine. Unless that puppet messed with them, just to get me. I wouldn't have been surprised- that puppet was a tricky bastard. Always planning, watching, waiting. I had to make sure to keep one step ahead of it. Or else.

"But the characters have been acting very unusual, almost aggressive, towards the staff. They interact with the kids just fine, but when they encounter an adult they just... Stare."

So those mechanical monsters were suspicious of everyone around, huh? I was surprised that watching was all they did. Every night they came after me with an insatiable bloodlust, so what stopped them from attacking all the adults they see?

I still don't have a good answer to that. Something told me it was the kids- they didn't want to hurt the kids by killing their loved ones. But that something quickly died as soon as I saw Foxy in the hallway. More anger took its place.

"Uh... Anyways, hang tight. It'll all pass. Good night!"

That night and the following day weren't significant. Except for the nightmare I had after I got home from work. I don't remember it well. There was blood, a lot of it. And screaming. We didn't have much of a chance to talk that day. You seemed a lot more stressed than usual, but you didn't say a word. I didn't have the strength to interrogate you about it.

Night five. This was supposed to be my last night, but the management asked me if I could keep an eye on things for an extra one, with extra pay too. I couldn't say no. Especially since there was a chance night five wouldn't bring the news that I wanted to hear.

The phone rang.

"Hello, hello? Hey, good job, night five!"

I could immediately tell that you were shaken up. I made sure to pay extra close attention while I went to work.

"Um, hey, uh, keep a close eye on things tonight, okay? Uh, from what I understand the building's on lockdown. Uh, no one's allowed in or out, y'know, especially concerning any… Previous employees."

My heart jumped. It was irrational, but I feared that they would find out that I was the killer. But if they had, they would've jumped me as soon as I stepped into the restaurant. No, the only ones who could've possibly known were those damn robots. Once they were thrown into the scrap heap, then no one would know. Absolutely no one. And if anyone found out, I'd kill them. Simple as that.

"Um, when we get it all sorted out, we may move you to day shift. A new position just became… Available."

You hesitated on your words, as if they weren't the best news anyone could hear. Didn't you want to be free of all that stress? Couldn't you see that this was the only option? We'd be happier this way. You'd see.

"Uh, we don't have a replacement for your shift yet, but we're working on it. We're going to try to contact the original restaurant owner. Uh, I think the name of the place was 'Fredbear's Family Diner' or something like that. It's been closed for years though, I doubt we'll be able to track anybody down."

Good. If management got their claws on anything that could save them, then I would go completely nuts. They needed to know when to quit.

"Well, just get through one more night. Uh, hang in there! Goodnight!"

Finally, I could think. Despite my life being on the line, coming up with ideas was surprisingly easy. And the project I was working on at school gave me a really good one. We were working with robotics, so I figured I could use that to my advantage. I'd mess with one of the animatronics, and get them to attack a kid instead of coming after me. Perfect.

I had come close to death that night. Toy Bonnie and Toy Chica decided to double team me while the music box was almost done. I had taken care of all of them, but then old, faceless Bonnie decided that would be a perfect time to sneak into my office. In less than a second I had the mask pulled down over my face. The room seemed to distort, cementing my theory that these robots had weird magic powers, and Bonnie disappeared. I didn't see him again.

Crashing as soon as I got home, I had another nightmare, same as the day before. This time it was more clear. The blood was mine, the screams were mine, I could feel pain all over my body. I woke up a crying, panting mess. You had already left for work, so I took care of myself.

You were exhausted again when you got back. Before you passed out on the couch, you mumbled something about a memo. It couldn't have been that important, so I didn't bother looking into it. I made dinner for whenever you woke up, then left when it was my time.

Extra night, extra pay, extra chance to get back at Fazbear Entertainment. The phone didn't ring at its usual time. I sighed and listlessly went about my routine. Check camera, wind music box, flash the light. My movements were slower, more drained.

The phone rang unexpectedly. I only had enough time to quickly answer it before putting the mask on.

"Hello, hello… Uh, what on earth are you doing there? Didn't you get the memo?"

Your voice was shaky, as if you were on the verge of tears. Cursing my luck, I said nothing. Freddy was too close for comfort. You understood, though.

"Uh, the place is closed down… At least for a while. Someone used one of the suits."

So that was it. They finally realized those kids were dead. But they didn't know it was me. Wouldn't know it was me. Not in this lifetime.

"We had a spare in the back, a yellow one, the one used in… Now none of them are acting right."

The one used in what? The first murders? Must've been. If only I could've seen the look on the management's faces when they found that more kids had been killed.

"Listen, j-just finish your shift. It's safer than trying to leave in the middle of the night. Uh, we have one more event scheduled for tomorrow- a birthday. You'll be on day shift. Wear your uniform, stay close to the animatronics, make sure they don't hurt anyone, okay?"

I'm sorry, I truly am. But someone had to be hurt. I had to seal the deal. The monster was dying, and there was no way in hell I would give it the chance to live. You would understand one day.

Uh, for now just make it through the night. Uh, when the place eventually opens again I'll probably take the night shift myself. Okay, goodnight and good luck"

That would've worried me if I hadn't been so confident that, after tomorrow, Freddy's would close down for good. There wouldn't be a need for you to risk your life like I had been doing for the last week. We'd be happy and safe. I wouldn't allow anything else.

At about four o'clock I saw a large, golden suit in my office. I don't remember how it got there- all I knew is that I needed to hide. For some reason putting the mask on felt like a betrayal to the Golden Freddy suit. It was like my partner in crime. But now it was trying to get me, like everything else. Why did everything try to kill me? If they only understood, like you would, then they would stop all that nonsense and see things my way.

Other than that, the night was pretty insignificant. When my shift ended I went to the parts room and grabbed some tools, then made my way into Kid's Cove. Mangle was going to be my newest victim. And it was such a perfect choice, too. No one would think it had been messed with. They would just think, "These things happen sometimes."

Tinkering around with the robot, I got to thinking. What if they did find out it was me? I'd go to jail for sure. But what about you? Who would be there for you? Would you wait for me? Visit me every chance you got? What if you hated me because of what I did?

I decided then and there that I would rather die than live with your hatred.

Before the morning crew came in I put the tools back in their proper places. Then I went home and rested up for the day ahead.

For once we left together. It was really nice. We held hands on the entire way to work, giving loving squeezes at random. Last time I felt this warm and cozy seemed so long ago.

The party went off without a hitch. I felt like an alien: all the happiness and joy was something I wasn't used to. The kids were laughing, and I didn't feel an ounce of annoyance. Hell, even the animatronics didn't piss me off as much. A bright smile was on your face as you watched everything. The atmosphere was so merry that you even snuck me a kiss when no one was looking.

You went back to the stage after that, leaving me in a slight daze. A goofy smile pulled at my lips as I watched you. This was what we would have all the time after the restaurant closed. As I daydreamed about the future, a shadow loomed over me.

Static came from all around. Nothing else registered for a few seconds. Then it hit- unimaginable pain. I screamed and tried pulling at the thing that had a death grip on me. Pure horror was on everyone's faces, especially the kids and yours.

My plan... It had gone wrong in the worst way possible. Mangle was supposed to attack one of those stupid kids, not me. The pain was excruciating. Everything around me turned into one, messy blur. Then it was all gone, just like that.

For weeks the only thing I knew was darkness. Every once in a while I would hear a faint beeping. In those moments I would try my hardest to break free, but my whole body felt like it was made of lead. Sometimes I would even hear your voice, coaxing me out of my rest. I had to wonder, was I in Hell? Sure felt like it.

The day that I finally woke up, you were at my side. My eyes stung from how bright the world was. I tried sitting up, but you gently pushed me back down. Some weird noise of protest came from the back of my throat.

"J-Just stay still, Jeremy," you whispered oh-so-sweetly. "You're hooked up to so many things, uh, it would be bad if you messed one of them up." A hand- yours, I realized slowly- grabbed and held onto my own. "How do you feel?"

My head throbbed, making me groan and squeeze my eyes shut. "Like shit," I practically spat.

"Uh, hold on. I'll get the doctor." With a kiss to my cheek you left.

I glared up at the ceiling until you returned. The doctor did all sorts of tests, and I was apparently in a fairly good condition. Pain was expected at this point.

You took the opportunity to catch me up on everything that happened after he left. Freddy's was in the process of being rebuilt. After the incident with the kids and them "graciously" paying for my medical bills- we needed it with all the surgeries I had- they couldn't afford to keep all the animatronics and the new building. So they trashed everything that was "toy" and sold off the building. When you held the newspaper article for me to see, I did nothing but glare at it.

"Hey," you said, pulling the newspaper out of my field of view and frowning, "what's wrong?"

"It's nothing," I muttered. My voice was hoarse from misuse.

Your hand reached to pet my hair, but the bandages wrapped all around my head stopped it. Sighing, you let it fall back to your side. "You can always talk to me, you know. Uh, I may not be the best at, um, holding a conversation, but you know that I always listen."

True. Whatever woes I had before this whole Fazbear mess started, you would listen to with understanding. But this wasn't something I could tell you. Not at the point in time. You were… Too attached to understand. Too compassionate towards the kids and too forgiving of the company. There was no way I could tell you until you severed all ties with Freddy's. So I simply laid there, silent.

Many days went like that. You'd try talking to me, and I wouldn't say a word. Couldn't, really. Laying in that bed let me think too much, let my anger swell like a tidal wave. If I had opened my mouth, all that rage would've been let loose, like Pandora's Box. I couldn't put you through that, not with what you were already dealing with. Strangely enough, though, I felt reborn.

They had said some change in personality was perfectly normal. I had lost a good chunk of my frontal lobe. Amazing that I was even alive. The only evidence that showed was a scar spread across the length of my forehead.

It was two weeks before you were supposed to begin your job at the new Freddy's that I was let out of the hospital for good. We had a schedule worked out: I'd stay home and catch up on my studies while you worked at your temporary job. You'd check in during your lunch to make sure I was taking my medicine and not overexerting myself. Then you'd go back to work until your shift ended. After that, things would be pretty normal. Except I was doped up on all sorts of meds.

In my lucid moments you always told me what kind of weird things I said while on those meds. My worst fear was that I'd slip up and confess everything about the murders. That never happened. "They're after me" was the worst thing I said. Delirious, that's how you described me.

The night you went to the new restaurant, I nearly cried. Up until then I had been trying to persuade you into giving up on that place.

You were all dressed in your purple uniform. Such an ugly color. I stood behind you and glared while you fixed your hair in front of the mirror. My head was killing me.

Stopping mid-brush, you gave me a sympathetic look. "Hey, uh, don't worry about me, okay?" That care-free, breath-taking smile was on your face. "I'll be fine. Uh, I know the ins and outs of those animatronics."

Silence. That seemed to make up most of our "conversations" now. Horrible, suffocating silence. Like a veil made of guilt and everything that was wrong in the world. A part of me wanted to speak, but it was so small compared to what I had become.

A disappointed sigh. But you weren't one to give up so easily. Before I knew it, your arms were around me, holding me close to you. You were quiet too, but it was a different breed of silence. More pure. I looked up at you, seeing the way the lights brought out a golden halo.

Like the sinner I was, I broke what you had created. "They'll kill you. Or at the very least, make you like me."

"Hey, if that happens at least we'll have matching scars."

I huffed. You didn't understand what I meant. Bitter tears stung at my eyes. "That's not funny."

More silence. I was getting sick of it. My skin crawled- I needed something to get rid of the silence. Screaming, crying, begging, anything. A music box played in my head, getting louder and louder. They were going to find me, they were going to kill me, they were-

"I'll be fine," you whispered. "Whatever it takes, remember?"

Anxiety made me restless after you left. Nothing could satisfy me. I was too hungry to eat, too tired to sleep. I saw the house phone sitting innocently on the counter. I picked it up and dialed.

The other end answered.

"Hey, um… I just wanted to call and give you some pointers since, you know, I was the night guard before you and all." I could hear you take a breath to speak, but I interrupted you, "Don't distract yourself by talking to me, okay? Just keep your eye on everything around you.

"Now, I'm not sure how the new building is laid out, but if it's anything like the old one, then there should be vents, or doors, or something, to your left and right. Old Bonnie always liked to come in through the main hall or the left vent, while Chica tried getting in through the right. So that should be the same. Um… What else, what else…

"Oh, yeah, Foxy is tricky. I know you like him and all, but he's the one you really gotta watch out for. He's straightforward, but very quick, so make sure you know where he is at all times. And Freddy, he kinda waits and watches before attacking. You should be fine the first couple nights, but make sure you don't develop any obvious patterns. He's probably smart enough to get around them."

I was at a loss on what to say next. "Well, uh… That's it. Be careful. And you better come back in one piece, Scott. Both of us don't need to be missing a chunk of our brains. Anyway, love you. Goodnight."

There was a faint murmur from your end, but I couldn't pick up on exactly what you said. So I hung up and just waited. And waited. It honestly seemed like forever.

I must've looked like a zombie by the time you returned. Even after calling you I couldn't get a wink of sleep. Whenever my eyes closed I saw them- the children. All battered and bloody, starting to turn gray and rot away. If I didn't see them, then it was the puppet with its haunting grin. Or the suit I used to do my job, limp and lifeless.

They only left me alone when you were around. But even you couldn't stop the music box that played constantly- over and over and over- in the back of my mind.

Hearing it both comforted and terrified me. I knew I was safe as long as it played, but the terror of it stopping was almost paralyzing.

Eventually they found someone to take over the night shift. The soft, tinkling of notes grew just a bit louder your first night at home. I payed it no mind. We went out to a movie, one of those cheesy, adventure packed ones that you always loved. You chattered away during the mellow moments, talking about how we'll have an adventure of our own one of these days. Honestly, I was sick of excitement. Of course, if you were keen on it, then who was I to say no?

Bad news hit us as soon as we got home. The night guard had been killed. Stuffed into a suit, they said. So you had to go back until they found a new sacrificial lamb. While you were on the phone with management I could've sworn I heard an inhuman groan from behind me.

For another week you managed to survive against Freddy and his crew. We must've been cursed, though, since the succeeding guard died sometime during his second night.

For years it kept going like that. New guard died, you took his place, another new guard came along. I graduated from college during that time, and found a decent enough job that didn't involve bloodthirsty robots or vengeful spirits. Even though you didn't have to, you still insisted on working at Freddy's. That was the cause of many arguments.

"There's no point in going back," I remember saying bluntly to you. You were digging through the closet, trying to find your uniform. Against my wishes, you succeeded.

"Really," I continued and leaned against the doorframe, "You'd have to be a suicidal idiot to keep going back there week after week."

You rolled your eyes and changed into your uniform. I could see you biting your lip to hold yourself back. Over the years you had learned that silence was your best friend.

I didn't move when you tried leaving the room. For a whole minute we had our standoff. Silence almost filled the room, smothering the notes dancing around my head. Softer, softer, softer, the music almost faded away. My heart dropped.

A frown marred your face as you finally muttered, "Can't keep the suicidal idiot from getting to work on time."

Barely a whisper- no, it couldn't stop. I had to wind up the box, to keep them away. I had to, whatever it takes.

"They'll take you from me." Somehow my voice was even more quiet than the music box. I couldn't look into your eyes. Your beautiful, sinless eyes. How could you not see the horrors trapped in mine?

Sighing, you enveloped me in your warmth. The notes swelled. My panic stopped.

"I won't let them," you said firmly. Such confidence was unlike you. Maybe I wasn't the only one who had changed.

That night, after you got home and took your medicine, you rambled on about a new guy that was hired. Mike Schmidt. You had a lot of hope in him.

The following week was okay, migraine wise. You always had enough pep to talk about the kind of messages you left for the new guy.

First night. We were lounging on the sofa, limbs intermingled with each other. My head rested on your shoulder.

"I told the new guy about you," you commented offhandedly during a commercial while tapping your finger

"Oh really?"

You hummed in affirmation, then explained, "In my message to him. Management didn't want me to tell them about the, uh… The killings, so I had to use something more subtle. You know, after listing off all that legal stuff."

"I bet the new guy'll be scared out of his mind," I said with a soft laugh. "So how exactly did you mention me in your little introductory speech?"

"Well, I told him how the robots used to be able to walk around during the day." The smile on your face fell, your eyes quickly glancing over to my scar. "You know, until you got bitten. I didn't mention your name or anything."

"What exactly did you say?"

You looked away, wincing for some unknown reason. "Uh, I said… I said something like, 'They used to walk around during the day until the Bite of '87.' And how it, um, was amazing that someone could live without their frontal lobe."

Lightly smacking your chest, I grumbled, "You're making me out to be some sort of war hero."

"Jeremy, you pretty much are one to me." You then proceeded to kiss the top of my head and go on about how strong I was and how you were so glad I had survived such a traumatic experience.

As nice as it was, it made me want to scream. I wasn't strong. I wasn't good. I was a murderer. And at that point, I didn't even care. You put me up on some pedestal, when really, you should've been warning kids about me like I was the boogeyman. I should've been dead. Everything would've been better off that way.

For the following nights the cycle pretty much repeated. We'd sit on the couch, you'd talk about the new guy, I'd die a little inside. And then you'd get ready for work, and as usual, I tried stopping you. With each passing day I woke up to the sound of the music box getting a bit more quiet. Eventually, I just sort of snapped.

It was right before your fourth night.

"Scott, can you just call off for this one night?" I begged you, my eyes to the floor while you grabbed the car keys. "I have a really bad feeling."

Sighing, you reached a hand to your forehead to rub away the ache that was starting. "I have to do this."

"No, you don't!" Fire ran through my blood, making me tremble and clench my fists. "Just quit already, Scott! You can find another job! I'm perfectly capable of supporting us until then!"

Another sigh escaped you. "You wouldn't understand…"

The air in the room became thick. Turning my eyes to you in a heated glare, I muttered, "Is it because of those dead kids?"

Your eyes grew wide, but you didn't say a word. I had hit my mark.

"Scott, I know you. You think by staying at Freddy's, you'll find some answer why. Why did those children have to die?" Childish laughter rang through my ears, but I ignored it. "Give up. There's no answer," I spat. My voice was dripping with poison.

"But," you stuttered with tears attacking your eyes, "But it's my fault, Jeremy. I was there, I could've stopped it. The bastard that did it was right there with me!" Your shoulders shook from the sobs that you held back. It looked like you couldn't keep it all in anymore.

The laughter became louder. The music box stopped. Panicked, I did whatever I could to drown out my own mind. "It's not your fault, Scott!" My words flew out of my mouth faster than I could filter them. "It's the management's fault! They make you work so hard that you come home in pain every fucking night! Freddy's had to be closed so you could be happy! Those children needed to die there! Whatever it takes, Scott!"

Silence. Complete silence. No sound, no sound, no sound. You stared at me, mouth open with shock. Tears were still running down your cheeks. I stared back, skin crawling with many other things left unsaid.

For once in your life, your voice became dangerously low, even without you intending it to be. "We're talking when I get back, Jeremy." Then you left.

For five whole minutes I stood there, my eyes glued to the door you had left open on your way out. Then, calmly, I closed it. What happened next was a blur. When I came too, I saw that our whole apartment was trashed. Broken pieces of now unidentifiable objects were strewn about everywhere. It was two o'clock.

I waited and waited, until finally, at eight o'clock, I finally realized it. You were never coming back. They had gotten you. The silence told me so.

When the management finally got around to it, they let me listen to the recording you left for Mike. The last one broke my heart. You sounded so defeated before you got cut off by the robots. Was it my fault? Did I kill you?

Life was unbelievably hard after that. I didn't go to your funeral. Knowing you, you probably wouldn't want someone as polluted as me being there. I had my own little ceremony at home. On my bedside I kept a picture of you, glowing with joy. That picture was the only thing that got me through all the pain. Every time I wanted to end it all, I just looked at your gorgeous smile. I couldn't leave yet.

The only good thing that happened after your death was that Freddy's finally closed down for good. But rumors still circulated. Rumors that said if you went to the now run-down restaurant, you'd find the animatronics there, still functioning despite being unused. And if you snuck in late at night, they'd follow you around, trying to stuff you into suits like they had done to countless guards.

Five years after you died, I finally caved and went to see how true the rumors were. Stepping inside, I could easily see the damage abandonment had done to the establishment. Wooden planks covered all the windows, rats ate away at the walls. It was nearly as disgusting as when the place was actually open.

Carefully I tiptoed through the unfamiliar environment, making my way to where I thought the main stage would be. When I arrived, I stopped and stared in both terror and awe.

Lined up on the stage were the three main animatronics. Freddy, Bonnie, Chica. They were different from when I had worked at Freddy's. Better looking. Repaired. Suddenly, it hit me. I could end the nightmare once and for all.

It was dumb in hindsight, but I spoke clearly to them, "Follow me."

Freddy's eyes lit up. He looked around before finally settling his gaze on me. One step, then two. He was after me.

I darted off, making my way through the corridors until I found what I knew was the safe room. Hiding behind the wall, I panted heavily and waited until I heard the sound of thudding footsteps grow louder, then softer. To my good fortune, there was a rather large crowbar in the room. Grabbing it, I sprinted back out, letting all of my frustration out on the robot. I kept going at it until it was reduced to nothing but a pile of trash.

Surprising how happy seeing a pile of rubble made me. A grin pulled up at my lips. It was as satisfying as getting revenge could possible be. After my moment of euphoria, I went back to the safe room, just in case someone else tried following me. It was then that I noticed the Spring Bonnie suit.

It was ratty looking, to say the least, but harmless from what I could tell. I wasn't going to deal with it until all the others were gone.

I made my plans and acted them out, Each consecutive night I returned and dealt with each animatronic, one by one. Yes, even Foxy. Golden Freddy was nowhere to be found, though. Neither was that damn puppet thing. Which was good, I guess. Seeing either of them probably would've sent me into another coma.

Final night. I simply strolled through the halls, savoring every last moment. This would be the end. After the spring suit was gone, there would be nothing. I would be able to move on and see you again.

For a brief moment I stood over the suit, the crowbar resting heavily in my hands. You would finally be avenged. I raised the crowbar high.

Movement from the corner of my eye stopped me. There, standing between me and my only way out, were five children, gray and in different states of decay. All with rivers of tears permanently falling from their eyes. My heart skipped.

"Get away!" I yelled as one of them moved closer to me. Madly I dashed about the room, trying to ward off its advances. "Just stay the hell back!"

My options were running out. The only thing I could do was hide. And the only thing I could hide in was the suit. So I hurriedly put it on, following the instruction I barely remembered from all those years ago.

The ghost stopped. From behind the mask I grinned, then let out peals of laughter. "You can't get me now! So just go rot in Hell already!"

Snap! My laughter quickly turned into screams of pain. The suit had closed in on me, cutting into my flesh and breaking me into pieces. I dropped to my knees, trying futilely to remove the suit. But it was too late. My vision was already starting to go. There was blood everywhere. Nothing but blood and those damn children. Finally, giving the last spasms of my life, they disappeared, leaving me all alone to die.

What had happened in the time after that, I had no idea. But eventually I awoke, forgetting everything from after your death. My vision was heavily impaired. In fact, all of my senses were. Except for my hearing, that is. And what I heard was music to my ears.

Your voice. Even though I couldn't make out your words, it made me want to run into your arms and hold you tight. But looking around, I could tell that this wasn't home. It looked like Freddy's.

So many questions ran through my head, but I ignored them in favor of following your voice. If I could make it to you, I had a chance of getting you to leave before one of the robots killed you. As I made my way through the halls, I heard Balloon Boy's laughter.

Changing course, I quickly made my way to it, hoping to prevent any harm coming to you. But I found nothing. So I continued on my way using whatever means necessary. I crawled through the vents, and when those were blocked off, I used the more traditional route.

Sometimes I blacked out and woke up back in that room. Your voice always called me back into action, telling me to do whatever it took to protect you. At least, I thought it did.

After a gruelling trek through the halls with many, many setbacks, I finally made it to the far room, the one I knew you'd be in. Peeking into the door, I saw a man in a chair. He looked at me, but made no sign of recognition. Instead, he began messing with a something in his hands.

Unable to tell if it was you, I stepped in and leaned close, pulling the object from him. It wasn't you. But as the clock tolled six, my body shut down once again. In that final round of sleep, I remembered everything. Your death, my revenge. And finally, my stupid decision to get into that damn suit.

Remorse tore at me. Not just for you, but for those kids. I was a monster. And now I had taken the form of what I hated the most.

It was a suiting punishment for someone like me, but I deserved much worse. Although I wasn't sure how long I would have my humanity. I could lose it bit by bit, or I could suddenly become the psychopath that I was in life. All I wanted was for you to be happy. That wasn't possible anymore. You were dead. Gone for good. I just hoped that I could repent for my sins and be forgiven by everyone I had hurt.

When I woke up again, I set out, looking through everything that could help me in my new plan. Finally, I found it. An exposed wire. With my new, metallic body, I was sure that I could conduct a spark somehow. Then Freddy's, and all the pain I had caused with it, would be nothing but a horrible nightmare.

Flames spread through the building thanks to the poor ventilation, scorching everything, especially me. Oddly enough, I felt at peace. No one would have to face this curse again.

Whatever it takes, that's what I did. Are you happy now?


End file.
